Pulling...............for the Kids!!

Steelfit had another great week, capped by an opportunity to spend some time with kids who are participating in the ACHIEVE Kids Tri. summer camp program in Washington DC.I was fortunate enough to sit and talk to these kids about their "training", my personal triathlon experience, and most importantly, about setting and achieving goals in sport and in life. As a "guest speaker" for the morning, I was a bit worried at first about what I would share and how they would react, but within 30 seconds of arriving to the local community center in Southeast Washington, I felt at home with these great kids. It was ME who learned and benefited from the visit.

ACHIEVE Kids Tri, Inc. is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to enriching the lives of youth through the sport of triathlon.ACHIEVE helps kids master the fundamentals of swimming, cycling, running, and triathlon racing, as well as the essentials of proper nutrition, stretching, strength-training, and flexibility. Under ACHIEVE’s motto of “Enriching Lives Through Sport,” the program includes specially trained counselors and coaches teaching kids triathlon skills, and how leading a healthy fitness-oriented lifestyle can help them succeed in life. There are camps currently in Washington, Houston and New Haven Connecticut.

Athletes learn how to train for the swim, bike, run, and transitions of a triathlon in a free six-week camp open to youth ages 9 - 14. At the end of every ACHIEVE camp, the athletes put all their hard work into action at a USAT sanctioned kids’ triathlon. As youth navigate the challenges of a triathlon, they also build essential life skills in fitness, exercise, discipline and self-confidence.

When asking the kids about their goals, I got responses ranging from "I want to beat my time from last year's Tri", to I want to be a "track and field star in school and go to college". One young man talked about becoming a motor cross champ and then opening a restaurant when he grows up. I LOVED listening to them and appreciated the fact that they were thinking, dreaming and engaged. And after our talk, they hit the road for biking, to be followed by some swim training later that morning.

So, the "pulling" on this morning wasn't about getting the chin over the bar but was about pulling for the kids......for the Tri next week where they will compete and for their journey's in life.

CrossFit Games 2010

Steelfit had the opportunity to spend some time in Carson, CA at the 2010 CrossFit Games this past weekend. Cheering on friend Blair Morrison (Anywherefit) and others was a blast; so much talent, strength and grit displayed by all.

About two weeks ago I made a passing comment that I personally needed some inspiration to breathe some life back into my gym work; this weekend did the trick for sure.

The final event at the games on Sunday afternoon (involving rope climbs, scaling walls, overhead lifts and so much more) was unbelievably hard and so much fun to watch. But it was the Day 2 individual event to start the day (Double Helen) that was right up Steelfit's alley...........72 pull ups in all, but lots of running and Kettlebell swings on top.

For time:

Run 1200 meters
63 Kettlebell swings, 1.5 pood
36 Pull-ups
Run 800 meters
42 Kettlebell swings, 1.5 pood
24 Pull-ups
Run 400 meters
21 Kettlebell swings, 1.5 pood
12 Pull-ups

It's almost time for an update to Steelfit's favorite pull up "centric" workouts and I suspect that this one will make the cut.

Congrats to all of the athletes for competing this weekend!

A Day's Work; 3,376 pull ups!!!!

Sailor sets world pull-up records

The Combat Fitness Test must seem like a walk in the park for Seaman Jason Armstrong, who shattered three world records by cranking out 3,376 overhand pull-ups in one day.

My friend Eric shared this article and I had to pass it on. I can't even fathom churing out 218 pull ups per hour for 15.5 hours.........the pace Jason Armstrong kept when he set this new record.

Check out the full article and video at the link below:

http://www.militarytimes.com/news/2010/07/marine_pullup_071010w/

Sweet !

We all know the formula by now; no sugar, lots of protein, whole grains sparingly, etc. A diet devoid of SWEETS is the "right": thing to do, or is it?

A weekend excursion to Hershey PA to reward the kids for a series of goals achieved (Honor roll grades, soccer championships,certain number of books completed)was in the cards for our family. While so much of this annual adventure has become routine & familiar (an obligation/tradition if you will), about mid-way through the weekend, my mind had finally arrived along with my body.

It's the choice of just going through the motions or really committing to something mentally and embracing the moment. Every one's daily lives (small business owners, students, professionals, personal trainers and the like)often consume us. Obligations to people, institutions, expectations and even principle and can force us into a robotic existence that may challenge us in the physical sense, but misfires in the attempt to ignite the mind.

Whether its how we approach relationships or how we approach each morning when we start the day, it's about being "present". Just getting in the gym might result in some physical movement, sweating, calories burned and some muscle growth, but without being "present", the real sustainable gains won't be realized. The trick is to get engaged and let go to a degree. We get so hung up in our daily routines, our rules, habits, etc., sometimes you just need to roll with it and simply appreciate the fact that you can.

The epiphany that finally hit me; being with the family physically would probably get me by, but "being" there with them would be far more fulfilling. So, I did the coasters, some water rides, dropped a bunch of dollars trying to win some silly prizes and YES, I bagged the diet rules and indulged in some Hershey's treats too. Not to say I wasn't looking for a pull up worthy aparatus as I was standing in lines, but the moment never arrived.

Stopping to smell the roses and just enjoy..............or the chocolate in this case was the work out of choice this weekend. SWEET!